130925-studie-wildlife-comeback-in-europe

Rank Reason for change Description
1 Species management —
Conservation breeding,
reintroductions and
translocations
2 Other — Environmental
conditions
Table 3.
Major reasons for
positive change in
the status of the
European bison in
Europe.
First reintroduction in 1952 in the Białowieża
forest, leading to successful reproduction in 1957 [3] .
Changes in population size are recorded in detail in
the annually updated European Bison Pedigree Book
(EBPB) [3] .
Low snow cover, warmer winter and May
temperatures, and oak seed mast years have a
positive effect on bison recruitment [2] .
Recent developments
While populations of European bison in core areas
such as the Carpathians and Białowieża are stable,
moves for further introductions are being made
in various countries which were once part of the
European range of the species (Figure 3). Most of these
have involved the introduction of semi-free living
individuals to areas throughout Europe, including
eight in the Czech Republic [22, 23] , 28 in France [6, 16] , and
a further seven have been released into a 20 hectare
enclosure in Palencia in Spain as part of a long-term
plan towards establishing the bovid in the region [24] .
In Germany, eight individuals released from a fenced
area in the Rothaar mountains in 2013 became the
first free-living bison in Germany for 400 years [25] .
The first calf to be born here in the wild was quickly
followed by another, bringing the total group size
up to 10 individuals [25] . While many of these herds
may not be viable in the long-term without focused
management intervention [5] , they can contribute
to the maintenance or increase of the species’
gene pool, and allow for linkages between existing
populations. Habitat connectivity is likely to be the
most significant contributor to the survival of the
species in the long term [5] .
Indeed much recent research has focused on
working towards the establishment of the eastern
European metapopulation within the Carpathian
mountain range [21] , which is crucial for ensuring
gene flow [3] in this species of low genetic variability
[26] . A recent study has identified a number
of suitable, uninhabited patches in the Gorgany
and Czornohora mountains (Ukraine), and Făgăraș,
Maramureş and Rodna mountains (Romania),
which could act as high-quality dispersal
corridors [27] and take advantage of farmland
abandoned in the wake of the collapse of socialism.
Provided that in the Ukraine the main threat of
poaching can be successfully addressed and the
public’s attitude towards the species changed
through education [28] , a large, well-connected and
demographically safe population – the main goal
for the conservation of European bison [3] – could
be realised.
Although the situation of the European bison
has undoubtedly improved over the past 50 years,
the species remains at risk from its low genetic
diversity and numbers are continuing to fall in the
Ukraine [26, 29] . Along with poaching, diseases and
habitat defragmentation, the lack of cooperation
between breeding centres leading to malpractice
is believed to be a potential threat that will need
to be addressed in the future [29] . More and more,
however, countries are collaborating in their efforts
to save this species from another extinction in the
wild. For example, the 11 th international conference
on European bison, which is taking place in
September 2013, will provide a forum within which
to discuss all projects realised in Europe and to
strengthen ties [8] .
Figure 3.
Map of recent
developments
recorded for the
European bison in
Europe.
Expansion
Persistence
Contraction
Y Reintroduction
g Potential
reintroduction
Y
Y
Y
gg
g
g
Y
30